Not many of the specifics about this meal would tempt me... but I've watched so much Iron Chef America, the whole Battle Buckthorn thing would be so much fun! I think I'd want everyone sitting on the same side of the table, though.

BIBOU & BLACKFISH COLLABORATION DINNER, held at Blackfish on 8 APRIL 2013

Although I recently wrote reviews of dinners at both Blackfish and Bibou, I think last week's unique collaborative dinner between two of Philly's very best chefs is also worth writing up. LOL, not the least because the genesis of this dinner was apparently a tongue-in-cheek tweet I sent them back in January:

"@biboubyob VS. @BlackfishBYOB: Counting tomorrow, I've dined 7 times at Bibou & 7 times at Blackfish in the past year #shakehandscallitadraw"

Internet stalker or not, I still had to pay for my dinner like everyone else! But as you can read below, it was well worth the price of admission ($100/pp plus tip).

We enjoyed...

AMUSE-BOUCHE -- Carrot espuma & pea puree

I assume this was Chef Roman's creation, since amuses are more typical at Blackfish than Bibou. Some are delectable bites that make you wish for a whole plate, and others are more artistic nibbles that momentarily pique your senses, but are quickly forgotten. This was more in the latter camp; fresh flavors and pretty to look at, it served it's purpose and we moved on to a fantastic champagne.

~1996 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses (one of the best wines of the evening)

1ST COURSE: Tuna tartare, horseradish, radish, cilantro, celery broth

Prepared by Chip, and recognizably so, as he loves to pair various raw fish with buttery English Breakfast radish (and his ever changing fish crudos with radish and spicy yuzu kosho are possible my favorite dishes at Blackfish). But the celery broth that was elegantly poured over this dish table-side was something I've never seen him do before, and it provided a uniquely interesting aromatic component that is usually missing from raw fish dishes.

Prepared by Chef Calmels, this is a dish that I enjoyed earlier this year at Bibou for a special game dinner he prepared for us. Pierre is a deft hand with all sorts of game (I didn't actually catch what was in the saucisson), but he takes it to the next level in this dish by encasing it in a light brioche crust and adding an elegant sauce (Perigourdine is traditionally a veal sauce spiked with a sweet wine like Monbazzilac).

While chatting with Pierre at Bibou a couple of weeks earlier, he mentioned that Chip and he were still debating the menu for this dinner, but that they planned to alternate courses between them. Yet, when I finally saw the menu, they didn't appear to be alternating since quenelles are one of Bibou's signature dishes. After the meal I complemented Pierre on what everyone thought was the "Dish of the Night", but he laughed and said that "actually, the quenelles are Chip's!" As much as I love Bibou's classic rendition of pike quenelles in lobster sauce, this may have been the best I've ever enjoyed...light, fluffy, almost like giant, perfect pillowy ricotta gnocchi in texture, in a delicious sauce. New American sensibilities meet Escoffier. C'est magnifique!

Pierre's. As I understand it, loup or "wolf", was in this case actually black sea bass, and a pavé is a square or rectangular portion reminiscent of street paving or brick. Be that as it may, this was a perfectly cooked and seasoned portion of one of my favorite fish, with a truly lovely sauce. But it was really the large dollop of "caviar" (the suddenly trendy, more affordable paddlefish roe from Alabama, not the real stuff!), providing a dramatic flavor contrast with the mild fish, that really made this dish memorable. Perhaps my second favorite course.

A dish you would immediately recognize as Chips, acknowledging what seems to be a new trend of lamb belly (pig belly is soooo over, I guess!). Unfortunately, my belly was a bit tough, although everyone else's seemed to be melt-in-their-mouth. However, the loin was perfectly medium rare, with a silky rich sauce (IMHO, Chip, having been the Saucier at Le Bec Fin, does sauces better than anyone else in the city).

When I saw Grand Marnier souffle on the menu, I immediately thought of Bibou's, a giant creation that they punch a whole in with a fork and fill with a jigger or two of Grand Marnier (a rather dangerous dessert!). But this was not that dish, but apparently an old classic from Le Bec Fin, with a frozen soufflé and a delectable berry sauce. I'm not sure if this was prepared by Chip or Pierre (they both used to work at Le Bec), but since Bibou tweeted a picture of this yesterday, it was probably Pierre's creation. The best dessert I've had so far this year.

Obviously a fantastic meal. We had a table for 10 in the back room, which I think is a little quieter than the front. Service, as always at Blackfish, was stellar, and it was also great to see Hans, our favorite Bibou server, enjoying the dinner along with the rest of us. Pierre's lovely wife Charlotte also put in an appearance with Eloise, their new baby daughter (see the adorable photo of Pierre and Eloise I posted on the Yelp Bibou page), who is obviously well on her way to being as wonderful a hostess as her mother.

~1975 Château Climens Sauternes

Who won this "competition"? I'm going give the Dish ot the Night to Chip's wonderful quenelles. But other than that, I'll stick with calling it a draw.

To steal a phrase from a famous Philadelphian (W.C. Fields): On the whole, I'm glad I live in Philadelphia (where we have two such great chefs and restaurants to choose from).

Sounds wonderful! Frozen grand mariner souffle is my favorite dessert too. Thanks for posting the photo of beautiful Eloise. The last two times we were at Bibou, Charlotte was enceinte (very much so last time).